1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, it relates to a wet and dry type vacuum cleaner for commercial use, capable of suctioning and filtering dry media, such as dust, and wet media, such as water.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, vacuum cleaners are categorized into wet type, dry type and combination wet and dry type vacuum cleaners.
The dry type vacuum cleaner performs cleaning operations with a device, such as a filter, that filters out dry media such as dust, and does not suction wet media. The wet type vacuum cleaner suctions wet media such as detergent and water, and it performs cleaning operations by spraying the wet media and suctioning the wet media and the contaminants entrained therein. The wet type vacuum cleaner has a device, such as a separating tank, for separating the air from the water, both of which are suctioned up into the vacuum cleaner. The wet and dry type vacuum cleaner has the combined function of the wet type vacuum cleaner and the dry type vacuum cleaner.
The wet/dry type vacuum cleaner includes a motor portion for generating suction, a nozzle portion for drawing in wet media such as water and the contaminants entrained therein, and a filtering portion for separating entrained air from the water and the contaminants, and a storage portion for storing the contaminants and water separated from the air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,805 discloses an example of a conventional wet/dry type vacuum cleaner, which will be described briefly below with reference to FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, a reference numeral 1 denotes a reservoir. A power head unit 3, having a motor 2 for generating suction, is removably disposed on an upper portion of the reservoir 1. The power head unit 3 has a filter 4 disposed in a predetermined location inside of the reservoir 1, and the reservoir 1 is connected with a nozzle 5 for drawing into the vacuum cleaner body the water and the contaminants from a surface to be cleaned.
In the conventional wet/dry type vacuum cleaner, as the motor 2 of the power head unit 3 is driven, strong suction is generated inside of the reservoir 1, for suctioning the contaminants and the water into the reservoir 1 through the nozzle 5, together with air. The contaminants and the water are separated from the air and stored in the reservoir 1, while the clean air is discharged out via the motor 2. A detergent tank 6, from which a detergent is fed through the nozzle 5 during the cleaning operation, is disposed internally of the reservoir 1, as shown. Accordingly, the detergent is sprayed over the surface to be cleaned through the nozzle 5.
FIG. 2 shows another example of the conventional wet/dry vacuum cleaner. In FIG. 2, a reservoir 10 includes a power head unit 30 and a filter 40.
As shown, the power head unit 30 is removably mounted on the upper portion of the reservoir 10. Albeit not shown, the power head unit 30 is also provided with a motor for generating suction, as in the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1. The filter 40 is mounted inside of the reservoir 10, and is supported by the upper rim of the reservoir 10.
During the cleaning operation, the motor of the power head unit 30 is driven, thereby generating strong suction inside the reservoir 10. Accordingly, contaminants, water and air are drawn into the reservoir 10 via a nozzle (not shown). The contaminants and water are separated from the air by the filter 40, and stored in the reservoir 10, while the clean air is discharged out via the filter 40 and by action of the motor.
As described above, the conventional wet/dry type vacuum cleaner suctions not only the dry media, such as dust, but also suctions wet media, such as water, and then filters the drawn contaminants and water from the air entrained therein. When the reservoirs 1, 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are filled with contaminants and water, the user of the vacuum cleaner separates the respective power head unit 3, 30 from the reservoir 1, 10, empties the reservoir 1, 10 and remounts the same in place.
The problem is that the power head unit 3, 30, each having a motor therein, is mounted on the upper portion of the reservoir 1, 10. Accordingly, the user experiences inconvenience when he/she needs to empty the reservoir 1, 10 because he/she has to remove the power head unit 3, 30, which is quite heavy, from the reservoir 1, 10 in order to empty the reservoir 1, 10.